Ketogenic Diet vs Intermittent Fasting: Which is Better?

Ketogenic Diet vs Intermittent Fasting: Which is Better?

Almost everyone trying to lose weight wants that optimum solution of losing the most weight in the shortest time possible with the easiest time plan. Especially during winter, when people start gaining the cold-weather weight. Thankfully, there has been a recent buzz on 2 different diet types that have been known to be weight loss miracles. Intermittent fasting and ketogenic diet are both super effective approaches, however it does depend on a bunch of things depending on your body type, food and diet timespan. Both diets work by inducing ketosis; when the body burns fat for weight loss.

But both are done differently, so let’s explore more of what ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting are!

How Does Our Body Work?

In the usual state, the number one source of energy that fuels muscle and your body functions need are carbs. Our bodies, then supposedly break the carbs down into glucose that are used for energy. Glucose is then stored in the form of glycogen, and here comes the problem we encounter. Our bodies don’t usually have the suitable capacity needed to store glycogen, so when glycogen stores are filled up, these extra glycogen is converted to fat and stored in fat cells. Which finally leads to the major weight gain we worry about.

How Does Keto Diet Work?

When ketones come into the picture, they become an alternative fuel that our body produces when glucose is in short supply. When your diet is minimal in carbs, the liver produces ketones from fat. The start of our body producing ketones, we are considered to have become in a state of ketosis. Letting our body shift from using carbs as the number one fuel source to using ketones (fat). Which results into a much easier process of losing weight. Short for ketogenic, the keto diet is done to change the fats you have in your body to be in the form of ketones as the energy source you need. The best way to successfully apply the keto diet is gaining as much knowledge about it as possible through https://www.ketogenicsupplementreviews.com/blog/best-keto-books and finding the suitable process to lose weight through that intense diet!

The Pros & Cons of Keto Diet

Pros

1. Desk Job? No Worries!

Usually, what people fear the most in dieting is the need to exercise while they’re on a diet. They probably don’t have time for it, and realistically speaking, if you have a full time job from 8 to 5 pm, you probably don’t have the energy to exercise after a long day. Thankfully, with the keto diet, you don’t need much exercise, you just need to cut down on carbs and take good care of the food you eat.

2. Reduces Insulin Levels

A key aspect that moves glucose from the bloodstream to the muscles is the insulin! Ketogenic diet reduces insulin levels, hence reduces the inflammation occurring in the body because of higher levels of circulating insulin.

3. A Healthy Detox

This intense diet only lets you eat from 25 to 35 grams of overall carb. This means you’re probably going to have to cut off a huge amount of sugary foods. Which is honestly a great benefit whether you want to lose weight or not. The keto diet pushes you towards adapting a healthy lifestyle rather than just have an intense diet for a while and stop.

Cons

1. Not Getting Enough Sugar

Yes, it can be a great thing to cut off sugar, until you realize you’re cutting off too much. Our bodies actually need some amount of sugar to function properly, and that’s something not many people know. To have proper brain functionality, your body needs to get energy from sugar. Cutting down carbs means that glucose won’t enter your bloodstream, so you’ll be feeling slightly dizzy and without focus a lot of times.

How Does Intermittent Fasting Work?

The whole idea behind intermittent fasting is that you begin incorporating parts on your eating schedule of no food, basically fasting for parts of the day. It’s an eating pattern that supposedly boosts your metabolism. During the periods you eat in, you eat whatever you want and in whatever quantity you want. What you must make sure of is that the food is eaten in certain scheduled periods in each day. Usually, in a 6 to a 12 hour period. This leads to a natural reduction in the day to day calorie consumption you go through. Which should lead to a significant weight loss.

The Pros & Cons of Intermittent Fasting

Pros

1. No Calorie Restriction

With intermittent fasting, you’ll still be able to eat the same number of daily calories and not change the type of food you eat. The idea behind it is just eating in certain timings. So it wouldn’t count as an intense diet, you’re still living life as you are, just on a schedule!

2. Increased Brain Function

Many studies have shown great effects done by the intermittent fasting. The effect of time-restricted diet on cognitive performance is magical! Weight loss in general improves a lot of the cognitive functions of obese individuals.

Cons

1. Subconsciously Eat More

Eating the usual food during intermittent fasting has its great side, however, it does have its bad side too! With intermittent fasting, you eat on a strict schedule, but with the same type of food. A lot of people take the time they can eat in as an opportunity to eat so much more calories than they usually do! Which changes the whole idea behind the ‘fasting’

Can Intermittent Fasting and Keto Work Together?

Surprisingly, many have agreed on that intermittent fasting and ketogenic diet actually can work together. The intermittent fasting helps in raising the levels of ketones and the keto diet helps burn fat for fuel and decrease your need to eat. If you really want an intense diet, then both diets are your way to go!

Choose What’s Best For Your Body

Each way has its pros and cons to it. However, it depends on your approach towards dieting in general, if you’re looking for a long-lasting weight loss effect, then your best choice would be the one that can become a lifestyle change rather than a sudden challenge for your body and system. If you prefer flexibility then go for the intermittent fasting. However, you do need to check with a doctor before going through any of these diets, especially if you have a certain health condition.